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Narrative Structure Reveals Truth
- David Grann structured "The Wager" through three competing narratives to reveal how individuals shade stories to shape their truths.
- This structure exposes the elusiveness of objective truth and highlights human nature's complexity in storytelling.
Connecting With History's Humans
- Writing nonfiction requires connecting with historical figures through their documents to understand their inner lives.
- Despite changes in culture and language, human nature remains consistent across century gaps, allowing empathy with the past.
Journey to Wager Island
- David Grann took a literal trip to Wager Island to understand the castaways' ordeal and the island's brutal conditions.
- He endured harsh weather and seasickness, gaining new insight into why survivors described it as a place where "the soul of man dies."